The invention relates to a pneumatic spring system as defined herein.
A pneumatic spring system of this type comprising a pneumatic spring cover, a pneumatic spring piston and a pneumatic spring bellows as importatnt structural components of the pneumatic spring module, is described, for example in published patent document DE-A-197 53 637 (FIG. 1). The system comprises the use of a vibrantion damper (shock absorber), a backpack module and of a protective sleeve, whereby the additional components are introduced in greater detail in the following.
The vibration damper comprises a container tube and a piston rod that is connected with the core area of the pneumatic spring cover in a fixed manner and immerses in the container tube in a sliding way. The vibration damper is frequently provided with a backpack module in particular in the form of an ADS-module (adaptive damping system), which projects beyond the outer periphery of the end zone of the pneumatic spring piston sideways. Reference is supplementarily made in this regard to published document DE-A-198 26 480 (FIG. 1).
The hose-shaped protective sleeve comprises a fold-like center component as well as a first connection area and a second connection area, where the associated structural components of the pneumatic spring are secured as well. In the exemplified embodiment according to DE-A-197 53 637 (FIG. 1), the first connection area is connected there with the pneumatic spring cover, whereas the second connection area is secured on the end area of the pneumatic spring piston.
In conjunction with the pneumatic spring systems known to date, the protective sleeve of the standard design can be mounted only before the vibration damper is installed because the inside diameter of its second connection area is too narrow for it to be pushed over the backpack module ADS-module), whereas its first connection area has an adequate inside diameter in that respect in most cases.
Now, the problem of the invention is to provide a replacement sleeve, taking into account the fact that the vibration damper cannot always be separated from the pneumatic spring module for repairs. Furthermore, the protective sleeve is to be usable also as a series (original euipment) sleeve.
The problem is solved according to the invention in that
the inside diameter of the first and the second connection areas of the protective sleeve is sufficiently large for the protective sleeve to be pushed over the backpack module, whereby
the excess clear space within the second connection area of the protective sleeve can be filled with an adapter element in a compensating manner, whereby the adapter element can be closed by means of a closing system so as to form a ring-shaped structure that extends around the end part of the pneumatic spring piston and/or the container tube.
Useful developments of the invention are specified herein.
The invention is now described in greater detail in the following with the help of exemplified embodiments and by reference to schematic drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a pneumatic spring system with a protective sleeve according to the state of the art.
FIG. 2 shows a pneumatic spring system with a protective sleeve as defined by the invention.
FIG. 3 shows a detail representation of the protective sleeve according to FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 shows an advantageous adapter element for a protective sleeve according to FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 shows another exemplified embodiment of a protective sleeve as defined by the invention; and
FIG. 6 shows an advantageous adapter element for a protective sleeve according to FIG. 5.